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President-Elect Bush and Vice President Al Gore Conclude Meeting

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JOIE CHEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Joie Chen at CNN Center in Atlanta. We want to take you right up to Washington where the much- anticipated meeting between President-Elect Bush and Vice President Gore has just ended.

CNN's Patty Davis is at the vice president's official residence now -- Patty?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Joie, President-Elect George W. Bush arrived here about a half-hour ago. As he rolled up the driveway into the vice president's resident, the vice president came out of his home. He greeted George W. Bush with a handshake.

The vice president was asked any advice for Mr. Bush. He said, that we're going to have a private conversation. And someone else asked, do you have a message for the country. And Vice President Al Gore said, I gave that on Wednesday night in his concession speech in the country.

The chief of staffs also meeting of these two political figures, both meeting. Then the meeting lasted about 15 minutes. George W. Bush headed out with his entourage. He now headed on to the airport, Dulles Airport here in the Washington area for a trip back to Austin, where he lives.

The message of this meeting intended to be conciliation and moving forward. Both of these candidates want the people to know that there is no partisan rancor now that exists between the two of them. A very bitter battle over the past year or so this election took place. The recount effort by Vice President Al Gore over the past five week, of course, was a growing bitter.

Now, earlier today, George W. Bush also met with President Clinton. He -- they discussed, if there were any -- Bush was asked any advice from the -- that he would be asking for? And the president himself said that, indeed, he would just say to pick the right team, and go full speed ahead -- Joie.

CHEN: Patty, have there been any more indications of announcements from the Bush team about other players who may be in the Cabinet?

DAVIS: Well, President-Elect Bush did get down to business today. In fact, he has chosen his choice, at least, for the commerce secretary -- Don Evans, a long time, Bush friend, an oil company executive chairman and CEO of Tom Brown, Inc. Don Evans for commerce secretary. Of course, now, once Mr. Bush becomes president he will have to send Mr. Evans through the Senate for confirmation.

So, we have to see what happens at the point. But that was the order of business today for the president-elect -- Joie.

CHEN: All right. Patty Davis for us from Washington at the vice president's official residence there.

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